Lawsuit Information Center
On this page, our national mass tort lawyers will look at Call of Duty video game addiction lawsuits. We will look at the features of Call of Duty that are intended to make it highly addictive, the developer’s failure to warn about the addictive nature of the game and the harmful impacts of video game addiction. We will also look at the allegations and legal claims being made in video game addiction lawsuits across the country, and the potential settlement value of these cases.
Video Game Addiction Disorder
Video game addiction has recently been recognized by both the medical community and the general public as a real mental health disorder. Within the last few years, major public health organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization have acknowledged video game addiction (also called “gaming disorder”) as mental health “disease” similar to gambling disorder.
The WHO defines gaming disorder or video game addiction as follows:
a pattern of gaming behavior (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.
For gaming disorder to be diagnosed, the behaviour pattern must be of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months.
The recognition of gaming disorder as a mental health disease is the result of a growing body of research and opinions from mental health experts.
Symptoms of Video Game Addiction
The clinical symptoms of video game addiction or gaming disorder are somewhat varied based on individual circumstances, but they obviously center around the compulsive or addictive playing of video games. According to the AMA, video game addiction can be clinically diagnosed when an individual experiences 5 or more of the following symptoms within a 1 year period:
- Preoccupation with gaming: Constant thoughts or obsession with gaming.
- Withdrawal symptoms: Feelings of sadness, anxiety, or irritability when unable to game.
- Increased tolerance: Needing to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge.
- Difficulty cutting back: Repeatedly failing to reduce or quit gaming despite trying.
- Neglect of other activities: Losing interest in hobbies or activities previously enjoyed due to gaming.
- Gaming despite consequences: Continuing to play even when it causes personal, social, or professional problems.
- Deception: Hiding or lying about the amount of time spent gaming to family or others.
- Emotional escape: Using gaming as a way to cope with negative emotions like guilt or hopelessness.
- Significant risk: Endangering or losing a job, relationship, or other important aspect of life because of gaming.
Many of these symptoms, such as “preoccupation with gaming”, are highly subjective and based on individual circumstances.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty (CoD) is an immensely popular video game franchise that falls into the gaming category known as “first-person shooter” (FPS) because the player assumes a first-person perspective in the game and shoots at things. Call of Duty was developed by a group of video game studios, and it is currently “published” by Activision. This means that Activision is the company with primary responsibility and liability for the game. Activision is, in effect, the “manufacturer” of Call of Duty for purposes of product liability law.
Call of Duty was originally released back in 2003. Since then, numerous new versions of the game have been released and it has gained widespread popularity. Call of Duty is the most popular and most successful first-person shooter video game on the market. The emergence of internet or online gaming has made Call of Duty even more popular because it allows players to face off against each other online.
Like many video games, Call of Duty uses engaging features and psychological tactics to keep players, especially younger gamers, hooked. Frequent updates, intense competitive gameplay, and appealing in-game purchases encourage extended gaming sessions. Limited-time events, exclusive rewards, and ranking systems foster a sense of urgency and competition, compelling players to stay engaged. Social dynamics, such as team-based gameplay and leaderboards, amplify the pressure to continue playing, making it particularly difficult for minors to step away from the game.
All of these features of Call of Duty tap into the internal chemistry of adolescent brains which leads to compulsive behavior. When players achieve goals or success within the game, it triggers a chemical response in their brain. As that response is repeated, the player gradually becomes hooked on this positive chemical response, similar to becoming hooked on the chemical response to addictive drugs.
Health Consequences of Call of Duty Addiction
The effects of prolonged Call of Duty gameplay are significant and far-reaching, impacting players’ mental, cognitive, and physical well-being in concerning ways:
Mental Health Consequences
Excessive gameplay often fosters dependency, disrupting emotional stability. Players may experience heightened anxiety, depression, and mood swings as their focus on in-game achievements eclipses real-world relationships and responsibilities. This dependency can lead to social isolation, especially among young players who may withdraw from family, friends, and school activities to spend more time in the game.
Cognitive Impacts
Excessive gaming has been linked to changes in brain development, particularly in children and teens. Studies suggest that prolonged exposure to games like Call of Duty can alter the prefrontal cortex, which governs impulse control, decision-making, and critical thinking. These changes can impair emotional regulation, increase susceptibility to compulsive behaviors, and hinder the ability to balance priorities effectively.
Physical Health Issues
The physical consequences of extended gaming sessions are equally troubling. Poor posture during play often leads to musculoskeletal problems, such as back pain and neck strain. Frequent gamers may also experience repetitive strain injuries in their hands and wrists. Additionally, prolonged screen time can disrupt sleep cycles, leading to fatigue and potentially hampering growth and development in children
Developmental Impairment
The cumulative effects of these issues can hinder a child’s social, emotional, and academic progress. Over time, the cycle of excessive gameplay may contribute to long-term challenges, such as chronic anxiety, social difficulties, and physical health problems stemming from years of neglect.
Call of Duty’s immersive design and broad appeal make these risks especially concerning. What often begins as a creative outlet can easily turn into an all-consuming activity, with harmful repercussions for a child’s short- and long-term well-being.
Vulnerable Groups Face Higher Risk
Unfortunately, certain groups of adolescents that already have neurological conditions such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) or ADHD tend to be most at risk of developing video game addiction from Call of Duty. Individuals with ADHD have issues with impulse control that make it particularly difficult for them to step away from activities that are hyper-stimulating. This puts them at significantly increased risk of becoming addicted to games like call of duty.
Not only are children with ADHD and similar disorders more likely to become addicted to games like Call of Duty, they are also more susceptible to suffer the mental and physical health injuries commonly associated with gaming disorder. Children with ADHD already face difficulties staying focused in school and with learning in general. Becoming addicted to Call of Duty makes this situation even more difficult.
Call of Duty Timeline
This is the history of Call of Duty and the literature on the risk of video games like CoD.
2003:
Release of Call of Duty: The first Call of Duty game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, is released. It focuses on World War II and gains acclaim for its immersive gameplay and cinematic quality.
Initial studies on video games and aggression begin to appear, with concerns about violent video games’ impact on aggression gaining traction, but the focus is on arcade games and earlier consoles.
2005:
Call of Duty 2: A sequel is launched, becoming a major hit and pushing the franchise further into mainstream popularity.
The American Psychological Association (APA) begins to publish reports on violent video games, suggesting a potential link to aggression, though findings are contested.
2006:
Call of Duty 3: Released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it is the first game in the series to be developed by Treyarch.
Studies focus on first-person shooters like Call of Duty, raising concerns about desensitization to violence.
2007:
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare: Introduces a modern setting and becomes a massive cultural phenomenon, redefining multiplayer gaming with its progression-based online system.
Media outlets intensify the overdue conversation of the impact of immersive multiplayer experiences on children and adolescents, particularly regarding time spent gaming.
2008:
Call of Duty: World at War: Returns to a World War II setting while introducing the popular “Zombies” mode.
Early lawsuits emerge, claiming that violent video games contribute to real-world violence, although courts largely dismiss these claims due to a lack of direct evidence.
2009:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Breaks sales records and includes the controversial “No Russian” mission, sparking debates about the ethics of depicting graphic violence in games.
Studies begin to investigate potential links between violent games and empathy reduction, but findings remain inconclusive.
2011:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Breaks entertainment sales records, selling 6.5 million copies in 24 hours.
In Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that video games are protected under the First Amendment, striking down a California law that sought to ban the sale of violent games to minors.
2013:
Call of Duty: Ghosts: Launches with a new storyline, but receives mixed reviews compared to earlier titles.
The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges “gaming disorder” as a condition requiring further study, with first-person shooters frequently cited. In turn, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) first included Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) in 2013 (as a condition warranting further study).
2014:
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare: Features futuristic exoskeletons and Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey in a prominent role.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigates marketing practices for violent video games but nothing really comes of it.
2017:
Call of Duty: WWII: Returns to its roots with a World War II setting.
Lawsuits begin to explore the addictive nature of video games, targeting “loot box” mechanics, which are accused of promoting gambling behavior.
2020:
Call of Duty: Warzone: A free-to-play battle royale game launches, reaching over 100 million players by the end of the year.
Class-action lawsuits emerge, alleging that game companies exploit psychological triggers to create addiction, particularly in children and adolescents.
2022:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II: A reboot of the 2009 game is released, becoming the fastest Call of Duty game to earning an incredible $1 billion in sales.
Governments, including the U.K. and China, impose stricter regulations on video game playtime for minors, citing concerns about mental health and academic performance.
2023:
Studies highlight both the risks (addiction, aggression) and potential benefits (teamwork, cognitive improvements) of games like Call of Duty.
2024:
Lawsuits against Activision Blizzard explore whether games like Call of Duty are designed with “predatory” psychological mechanics to encourage excessive playtime and spending and reseach arms these lawsuits.
2025:
Ongoing Scrutiny: As Call of Duty remains one of the most popular franchises, academic and legal investigations into its social, psychological, and economic impacts continue, particularly focusing on addiction and microtransactions. But more Call of Duty lawsuits begin to emerge
Call of Duty Addiction Lawsuits
Video game addiction lawsuits are now being filed across the country by young people and their families who have suffered injuries as a result of gaming disorder from highly addictive games like Call of Duty. The video game addiction lawsuits are seeking financial compensation in the form of damages for victims who have been seriously harmed by their addiction.
The video game addiction lawsuits are essentially product liability cases. Under U.S. product liability law, product manufacturers can be held liable when their products cause harm to consumers. There are 3 main claims or theories of recovery in product liability cases: (1) failure to warn, (2) design defect, and (3) manufacturing defect.
The Call of Duty addiction lawsuits are based on 2 of these 3 legal claims: (1) failure to warn, and (2) defective design.
Failure to Warn: The strongest claims in the Call of Duty addiction lawsuits are negligent failure to warn. Product manufacturers have a legal duty to warn consumers about potential risks and harms associated with their products. When they fail to warn about known risks they can be held liable for resulting injuries and harm suffered by consumers.
The Call of Duty lawsuits allege that Activision had a duty to warn consumers about the potentially addictive nature of its Call of Duty games. They further allege that Activision needed to specifically warn consumers about the potentially harmful effects of video game addiction and the fact that certain groups were more at risk. The lawsuits claim that Activision negligently failed to issue any such warnings on its Call of Duty games and that this failure directly resulted in injuries to countless plaintiffs.
Design Defect: When a product has a design flaw that makes it potentially dangerous or gives it the potential to cause harm to consumers when the product is used as intended, the manufacturer can be held liable for damages resulting from the design flaw. One of the key legal theories in the video game addiction lawsuits is that games like Call of Duty had design defects in that they were deliberately designed to make the games addictive.
Potential Settlement Value of Call of Duty Addiction Lawsuits
The video game addiction litigation is very new and none of these cases have actually gone to trial or been resolved in a settlement. That makes is very speculative at this stage to give any type of estimates about the potential settlement value of Call of Duty addiction cases. However, if we make various assumptions about the validity of these cases, we can offer meaningful estimate about their potential settlement value based on settlement payouts in prior litigation involving similar claims and injuries.
Any settlement in the Call of Duty or video game addiction lawsuits will involve individual settlement payouts based on a tiered system in which the amount of money a plaintiff gets is based on the strength of their case and severity of their injuries. Plaintiffs with the most severe injuries will be in the highest settlement tier (Tier 1), while those with lesser injuries will be in the lowest settlement tier (Tier 3).
Tier 1 – Severe Injuries: $270,000 to $1.8 million
We think the settlement payouts for the top settlement tier will be in the range of $270,000 to $1,800,000. Cases in this highest tier will be those in which the plaintiffs suffered very serious injuries that caused some type of permanent or devastating impact on their life.
Tier 2 – Moderate Injuries: $45,000 to $260,000
The second settlement tier will cover those plaintiffs who can show that they suffered moderate or medium level injuries. This will include cases where the plaintiff suffered severe harm, but the harm was only temporary and did not result in permanent impairment. These cases will likely have a settlement range of $45,000 to $260,000.
Tier 3 – Minor Injuries: $2,500 to $40,000
Plaintiffs with comparatively minor injuries resulting from their video game addiction will be lumped in the lowest settlement tier. These plaintiffs will likely get small settlement payouts ranging from $2,500 to $40,000.
Why Call of Duty Lawsuit Settlements Could Be Higher Than Other Video Games
Moreover, lawsuits involving Call of Duty are more likely to garner substantial settlement compensation due to the game’s massive popularity and its focus on war and combat scenarios. Plaintiffs may argue that the franchise’s design intentionally targets vulnerable players, particularly young audiences, with content that glamorizes violence while keeping them engaged for hours. So it is fair to say that the potential for psychological harm, including addiction, violent outbursts, or increased anxiety, will resonate with juries, leading to higher settlement amounts.
Who is Eligible to File a Call of Duty Addiction Lawsuit?
Our firm is currently accepting new Call of Duty addiction lawsuits from anyone who meets the following eligibility criteria:
- 24-years-old or younger
- Played Call of Duty for at least 2 hours per day for minimum of 5 weeks (70 hours over 5 weeks)
- Medically diagnosed with any of the following conditions: gamer’s rage, depression, anxiety, seizures, orthopedic injuries.
- Received at least some medical treatment for gaming addiction or disorders related to game addiction
Contact Us About Video Game Addiction Lawsuits
Our firm is accepting Call of Duty addiction lawsuits across the country. Call us today for a free case evaluation. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.